Sunday, October 16, 2005

Day 2: The trail to manawa

The best cycling week of the year has begun. Allow me to replay the first 24 + hours. The best week ever started yesterday in Lincoln, Swap meet followed by the wilderness pre-beer ride.

By evening, a group of 40 some met up at Yia Yia's and OSO. Saw alot of people I hadn't seen in quite a while. After some chow and a stop off at 'N' street, Pancakes and I hooked up with the group at the 84th st. trailhead. We hit the Mopac and headed out to the Walton bridge. Rick had the beats pumping and the party on the trail was well under way. Photos to follow. We finished the night off at JP's. We arrived to the smell of bacon, eggs and potatoes, a real midnight feast.

So begin day 2 of the best week of the year. More bacon, eggs and potatoes at the Radial. Back to back breakfast. The Ride to Recovery went off at NP Dodge earlier in the morning followed by the sunday polo match. Me, I rode out to Manawa for the Sunday afternoon log ride session. 45 minutes to the park and 4 hours in the park riding every option on every log, EPIC! My shoulders and back are thrashed tonight. Thanks for the sweet session.

What will day 3 bring?.

15 comments:

Shim said...

You guys suck for not showing up for the Ride to Recovery, period! This is the problem with the cycling scene in Omaha if something is hard most get to a point where they give up and go and do something no one else does so they can be good at it, i.e Log Rides. "I use to be a competitive cyclist, now I specialize as a cyldesdale, single speed, marathon racer, but only on days when there isn't a good log ride competition".

Rusty Car said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rusty Car said...

The problem with the scene in Omaha is road cyclists. They suck at riding logs! How hard is it ride down a 30 foot wide PAVED path. You suck Shim. You used to be a pretty good log rider, but you gave up and now you coast down the road.

MIB said...

Hey Shim-
Didn't that same philosophy you condemn guide you to race "masters" at the state road race instead of Cat 3? Those who live in glass houses....well you know the rest(-:

Or is it just that the only things that are legit to us, are the things we are good at?! Guess that's human nature. Explains why I have never viewed Golf as a true sport. I just plain suck at it. So therefore it must not be a legitimate choice for anyone else, right!?

Ok Shim, I had to call you on that comment. The log riders are people too. They just don't enjoy the things you do. They enjoy the things they are good at, just like you. My guess is you don't ride a log too well. (-: Don't worry, I don't either!!! I can show you picutres to prove it.

Anonymous said...

Can't we all just get along! As long as your riding a bike it's great..
Now I'm going for a log ride on my road bike.........Kent I'll be in for a new frame I'm sure!......
Jim M

Mark Savery said...

It must really suck to be close minded about riding bikes.

Have you ever done a long distance tour?

Have you ever strapped on full pads and raced a real downhill?

Have you ever attempted riding trials?

Have you ever ridden an 8 hour epic in Moab, Crested Butte or Fruita and been so low on water you didn't know if you were going to make it?

Have you ever done a week long stage race?

Have you ever existed without a four wheeled death box?

Have you ever ridden urban assault?

Or do you strap on a heart rate monitor, complete your "program" for the day and move on to the next "work out"?

I've done it and if thats your thing...great, I'm glad you're enjoying riding your bike. I'm sure I suck since my idea of riding is different than yours.

But being that close minded must REALLY SUCK! You should go crazy tonight and have scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hey M-I-B, elmwood has a golf special going on, 18 holes with a cart for $20 anytime! Anyone for a walk in the park gone bad?

I know Shim is laughing right now cuz he's got us all riled up. That's fine too, think I'll jump on my 'CROSS bike and ride the ROAD to Manawa, do some LOG RIDES then URBAN ASSAULT my way home.

RF said...

now everyone shut up smile & ride.

anyone up for a long mtb ride tonight? ride to L&C for a few laps? Or tranq or swanson? Let me know. I should be able to ride after 4pm or so.

RF said...

Somewhere, there's a 40 yr old, 300lbs guy who used to make fun of Shim for giving up football to become a pansy cyclist.

guess Shim wasn't any good at football, so he quit doing it.

Shim said...

Too many points to respond to, suffice it to say there was a charity event that got a shitty response by the same group of people who want people to donate or help raise money for thier causes. As for Mark's rant I try to show up for every event I can, I support all of them because it is good for the sport, even the ones I don't care for. Even if I have to race as a master, at least I'm there. When people stop showing interest people will stop putting these events on and that is what will truely suck! (Kent you have an excuse, and I hope Cindy is feeling well). The rest of you, well you know!

Shim said...

OK screw it here is your responses.

It must really suck to be close minded about riding bikes.
Am I or am I close minded about hypocrites?

Have you ever done a long distance tour?
Yes, several.

Have you ever strapped on full pads and raced a real downhill?
I did the world course at Vail several times, without pads on a hard tail.

Have you ever attempted riding trials?
I have done it at I Caves several times, not because I wanted to but because it was there.

Have you ever ridden an 8 hour epic in Moab, Crested Butte or Fruita and been so low on water you didn't know if you were going to make it?
Fuita and we ran out of water 1 1/2 hours prior to he finish.



Have you ever done a week long stage race?
No.

Have you ever existed without a four wheeled death box? Yes

Have you ever ridden urban assault?
Yes, I was bored.

Or do you strap on a heart rate monitor, complete your "program" for the day and move on to the next "work out"? Preferably

I've done it and if that's your thing...great, I'm glad you're enjoying riding your bike. I'm sure I suck since my idea of riding is different from yours.
So you say.

But being that close minded must REALLY SUCK! You should go crazy tonight and have scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I prefer chocolate with nuts and Hershey's syrup, and maybe a scoop of Pnut butter.

Hey M-I-B, elmwood has a golf special going on, 18 holes with a cart for $20 anytime! Anyone for a walk in the park gone bad? I'll Pass.

Mark Savery said...

At what point was I hypocritical?

I hope the success of Omaha's cycling scene doesn't rest on the shoulders of the five or six of us that chose to go to Mananwa.

I've supported as many events as I could have in previous years. I try to promote as many different events as possibly can on this site. I work in retail and can't attend as many as I would like. Can Pancakes do a 25 mile road ride yet? I don't know, can she pedal an easy lap or two at Manawa? Yes. Hence my descision. Enough said.

It's about the ride, and the experiences that go with it.

I can't imagine we are even having this conversation. It used be we had to drive 4 hours for an event. Now we have to chose which local event to do.

Hey Shim, wanna go for ride?

Rusty Car said...

Glad somebody mentioned the support thing.

Is that why we burnout some many friggin volunteers in this sport? Because we have such over whelming support for events, races, etc? Just showing up is only half of it. Not many willing to step up and truely lend a hand. Talk is cheap.

This is no different than lack of support for road races, mountain bike races, trail work, or charity rides. I have no interest in certain things in life because they bore the heck out of me, so I don't do them. On the other hand I am always willing to give a couple of bucks to a worthy charity in the name of a GREAT cause. Just don't ask me to go for a road ride and or to play a round of golf until I am older than 65.

Shim, that Fruita ride was an epic. I don't think I have ever been on a bike that long. I think it was more like the last 2 hours of a 7+ hour ride without water. Riding with you constituted a "marathon race". And it was August in Western CO, who's brilliant idea was it to do that ride anyway?

Kent, you do suck at log rides. I have a full face helmet if you want to practice at Manawa sometime. Jim the offer goes to you too.

RF- quit getting in the middle and trying to make peace. I have some gas that I am trying to throw on this fire. No I don't want to ride with you. I am going to hit some jumps at a public park on my freeride bike.

Shim said...

BMD,I agree with your thoughts, that's why I went to the 5:30 service Saturday night. Fegan we are doing cross practice at Swanson at 5:30 (I need it). Mark I never called any specific person a hypocrit, but if my comments made you feel that way you may want to write out a check to the Luekemia & Lymphoma Society. I am sure they would still accept it, that goes for everyone reading this. Jim M can make sure they get it.

Anonymous said...

The Ride To Recovery (RTR) turn out was about the same as previous years. Over the years, 9 and counting, Lowell has raised over $250,000. Not bad for a bike cop! Of course firefighters would raise more!
It didn't have to be a hard ride, you ride as hard as you want. By the way thanks for dropping me on the way back! And I was almost late getting back t work. But it was worth it to turn some pedals with Lowell again. Thanks to all that supported the RTR.

Log riding guys. You don't suck. You were out riding you bike.Maybe you can show me how to jump a log some day! Thats cool! And each of you have helped in some way over the years as with the support of all the bike shops in town. We do what we do best. Thats human nature. Someday I'll find something I'm good at.

Rusty, the volunteer thing has always ben hard. I put on 16 races in a year back in the late 80s. Most of it was done with a few friends. We always were scambling for help on race day. Our team put on the first Mt. race in the area at L&C. You had to walk you steel frame Mt. bike up the hills at L&C! We had to call it a cross race because the USCF wouldn't issue a permit for a Mt Bike race! What you guys and gals have done to improve the riding and teams in this area is amazing. I was so burnt out from raising money for a team and putting on races I was totally burnt out. But your generation pick up the ball or shovel I should say and truly took it to the next level. You brought my love of the sport back to me!

The problem with rode riders we used to be they were snobs. When I was trying to learn the sport years ago no one would help you. They wouldn't teach you how to ride a paceline or a echlon. But Sun. I saw Marco teach a group of tri guys how to do both. It was great! Do you think some of them might show up for a road ride now? I'd bet money on it!

The RTR was supposed to happen in June but I dropped the ball on it. Life got in the way as it sometimes does. The plan was for a road ride south out of CB, family ride on the Wabash,Manawa trail ride and 10k run. So next year look out there will be something for every one. I bet we can even get someone to help with a log ride?
Any volunteers...........

Thanks for reading.

Rusty Car said...

Crap, tri guys in a pace line, no thank you, I will stick with something safe like jumping with Gersib and Gage. Hats off Marco, you crazy man.

Jim M - Did Shim, happen to say "this is just a recovery ride, I am still in zone 1" before he dropped your skinny tire loving existence. Man he is famous for that. Typical road rider.

By the way I still think roadies SUCK (but I still love you guys). I am not even going to threaten to push Shim in front of a car at the Pub Crawl. Freeriders don't step that low. I probably couldn't do it any way. He would through some of those high school wrestling moves on me and turn me into a pretzel. Huh tough guy....

I do what I do because I love it. That was my point earlier. Building a trail and riding skinnies are two of my favorite things to do. For me they are no harder to do that for some else to do repeats up Hummel hill. My other point was people need to step up. Jim M's generation (you're an old man) got this rolling, UNO and that crew took it to another level. We need some new blood. Thanks to a few new comers the racing scene looks like it will be re-invigorated. Hopefully they can get enough help to push it to another level....